PANAJI: The Superintendents of Police in North and South districts of the state have issued a circular to all police personnel on Wednesday concerning the unauthorized use of mobile phone by local police personnel while on field duty.
"Local police personnel detailed for field duty should not use mobile phones for attending to their personal calls and mobile applications to avoid their attention being diverted from the duty for which he or she is deployed thereby attracting public criticism," the circular reads.
The circular makes a reference to the complaints received from several members of the public as well as reports from sections of the press in the past about this attitude of the local police personnel at duty points.
Police personnel have been informed that if any of them is found using mobile phones while on duty, except for attending to the official calls or if found just passing time by using mobile applications while in uniform, it will be treated as misconduct and will attract punitive action.
SP (North) Chandan Choudhary stated that even if a cop has to answer an official phone call, he or she will now have to step away from active duty point and do so.
All police in-charges are now expected to personally carry out random checks of the staff deployed on field duty and make necessary entry in the station diary as and when such incidents are noticed.
